


A Different Choice

by MsBlam



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gen, I just want them to be happy damnnit, Itachi makes a different choice, Mentions of Suicide, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 14:31:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20341675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsBlam/pseuds/MsBlam
Summary: Shisui is standing across from him, about to rip out his own eye and –Itachi won’t let it end like this, won’t let Shisui sacrifice himself like this.It was too much, Konoha was asking too much.





	A Different Choice

Itachi can see it. He can _see_ it.

Shisui is reaching up, soon his fingers will sink into the socket of his remaining eye, fingers pressing harder and harder until the orb gives way and he can curl his fingers around the back. The optic nerve giving a sickening _squelch _as it tears.

He’ll hold it out to Itachi like some sick gift and tell him he’s counting on him to protect the village and the Uchiha.

And then he’ll tip himself back over the edge of the cliff. Shisui is going to _kill himself_ and – and –

It’s not worth it.

The Village, the Uchiha, they aren’t worth it. They aren’t worth_ Shisui_.

His friend, his brother, he’s reaching up and Itachi_ won’t let it end like this_

Shisui is only a handful of steps away, but Itachi can’t seem to close the distance fast enough. One hand clamping around the fingers that are sickeningly close to ripping out Shisui’s eye, the other curling into his cousin’s shirt so he can’t get away. So he can’t fall.

“No.” He says, and it’s the first time he’s ever said that to someone. The first time he’s outright refused someone. No vague and roundabout promises of ‘another time’, no double speak words to say what he wants to.

“I won’t let you do this.” He nearly snarls.

Shisui’s eye opens to look at him in confusion, like he fully expected Itachi to just stand there while he rips out his eye and kills himself. But maybe he did, they’d both been on this fruitless path for so long, walking forward and trying to change things, but none of it had worked. Nothing Itachi or Shisui had done had worked. The Hokage telling him to stall for time and a councilman that had just stolen Shisui’s eye telling him to slaughter his clan or Sasuke would suffer for it.

And the sickening thing was, Itachi was going to do it. He was going to slaughter his entire clan, leaving Sasuke alive surrounded by the bodies of their kin so his brother would hate him. He’d set himself up as a villain, as an obstacle for Sasuke to overcome, and waste away until the day his brother came to kill him. Sasuke would grow up alone, haunted by the monster that used to be his older brother.

He thinks about the way Sasuke smiles at him, a warm glow of sunshine in Itachi’s haunted existence. He was going to destroy Sasuke’s smile for the sake of the Village.

Itachi feels like he’s drowning under the horror, and the one person that has been by his side through it all is going to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Village.

For the sake of the Village.

It had been a mantra in his head for so long, desperately trying to preserve the little haven of peace that Konoha had created for it’s citizens, but it tastes like ash in his mouth now.

It wasn’t worth it. To Itachi, sacrificing his brothers for Konoha _wasn’t worth it_.

“Itachi, we have to.” Shisui says tugging gently at the hands holding him. But Itachi won’t let him go, never.

“We don’t, we don’t have to.” It’s desperate, hysterical almost.

His head is full of the paralyzing fear that he’s about to lose the two people he loves most in the world and he was just going to let it happen. He’d given himself for the Village, his blood, his tears, the Village had taken it and Itachi had given it gladly, but he couldn’t –

He would give his life for Konoha, but he wouldn’t give Sasuke or Shisui.

It was too much, Konoha was asking too much.

It’s glass shattering in his chest.

He’d seen what a cruel and senselessly violent place the world could be. He hadn’t wanted Sasuke to have to see the things he had. Years and years he’s devoted himself to Konoha, fighting and killing for a place that Sasuke could grow up safe and happy.

But Konoha isn’t that place anymore.

“Itachi, let go, you know if we don’t do this there will be a riot, Konoha can’t afford that type of weakness.” Shisui is pulling at Itachi’s hands harder now. Itachi twists his finger tighter.

“I don’t care.” He doesn’t. His comrades, his clan, Konoha, the little tea house on the edge of the market district that has sweets, none of it is worth Sasuke and Shisui. Nothing will ever be worth more than them.

“Itachi.” It’s almost a warning this time.

“I am going to go home, grab Sasuke, and then we are leaving.” Shisui stiffens, his eye widening in shock.

“And you are coming with us.” It’s not a request, it’s not a question. Itachi will drag Shisui’s unconscious body if he has to.

Maybe he should be ashamed that he’s wavered from his path, maybe he should feel regret, but he doesn’t. The only shame he feels is knowing he’d been blindly following leaders that were willing to slaughter children. The only regret he feels is thinking back on how many times Itachi had pushed Sasuke away, brushed him off so Itachi could pander to a clan and a village that didn’t care for the people they were supposed to protect.

Shisui’s single eye searches his face and it makes a hysteric sort of rage seethe in Itachi’s gut. He’s going to kill Donzo for this. For stealing Shisui’s eyes, for threating Sasuke, for forcing Itachi into a corner like a fucking rat.

He expects Shisui to argue, maybe try and get free and throw himself into the river anyway. He expects Shisui, endlessly loyal Shisui, to balk at the idea of abandoning Konoha to it’s fate. But he doesn’t.

Instead he almost seems to wither into himself, leaning forward until their foreheads rest together. He smiles at Itachi and it is just as tired as Itachi feels.

“Okay.” He agrees.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hate how things turned out for Itachi, Sasuke, and especially Shisui. My boi didn't deserve to die like that. This is my stab at changing it. I don't know if I portrayed Itachi's deteriorating though process well but I gave it my best shot.


End file.
